Because of the mobile and harried lifestyle of today, many people must eat and the like on the run. This inevitably leads to spills and drips, which may cause undesirable clothing stains. Several aprons, bibs, lap mats, and other products have been developed and marketed to deal with this problem.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,692, issued to Cox (Jun. 22, 1993), discloses an apron that may be worn by the driver of a vehicle that protects his or her clothing from spilled food or beverage, or falling cigarette or cigar ashes, while he or she is eating or smoking while driving. The apron may be put on or taken off with one hand by making a single connection. The apron includes a torso panel and a lap panel, the former being removably connected to a neck strap. The lap panel covers the thighs and knees of the driver. The sides of the lap panel are stiffened by weights maintaining the lap panel flat on the thighs of the driver and preventing it from creeping up over the knees of the driver despite the movement of the driver's legs as he or she operates the pedals of the vehicle. The apron is made of a water-repellant, moisture-breathing, fire-retardant fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,968, issued to Crockett (Jul. 2, 1996), discloses a commuter's apron that provides for the containment of food and drink spillage for automobile and other vehicle drivers and passengers, while the vehicle is moving or stopped. The apron is formed of a relatively thin sheet of polyethylene plastic or other material (e.g. coated paper or fabric) in order to be impervious to liquid and other spills. The upper and lower edges of the apron are congruent, thus enabling a plurality of the aprons to be die cut or otherwise formed continuously from a single elongate sheet or roll of material with relatively little waste. All of the flat portions of the apron (i.e. the main body, the pocket portion, and the neck closure portion) are formed from a single, continuous sheet, with the only additional components required being tape or other means to close the neck closure portion and seal the sides of the pocket portion in the event that heat sealing is not used. Thus, the apron may be provided inexpensively with fast food meals and/or dispensed from a container having a plurality of the aprons packaged separately therein. The apron may include an advertising or display message thereon, if desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,916, issued to Bell (Apr. 22, 1997), discloses a bib specifically adapted to be worn while an operator is controlling a vehicle. The device defines particular application while an operator is eating and/or drinking while controlling a vehicle. In its broadest context, the device includes a sheet of material having a first end and a second end and an intermediate extent therebetween, wherein the intermediate extent is of a greater width than the first end and the second end. Furthermore, a steering column ring is adapted to be secured to the first end of the sheet while a neck ring is adapted to be secured to the second end of the sheet. Thus, in operation, the operator affixes the neck ring about his or her neck and the steering column ring about the steering column of the vehicle, employing the sheet as a bib.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,605, issued to Bowen (Dec. 30, 1997), discloses a foldable and reusable bib that includes a flat, relatively stiff sheet having a long axis and a width. The flat sheet includes a transverse fold line, transverse to the long axis and extending across the width of the sheet, thereby dividing the sheet into an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is defined by two side edges and a top edge, wherein the top edge has an arcuate section disposed about the long axis and forming part of an aperture in the flat sheet. Each upper portion side edge slopes and extends from the transverse fold line to the top edge. In another embodiment, the upper portion includes a plurality of angled fold lines proximate each side edge to form a backward-folding wing section. Preferably, either bib is made from a recyclable material, such as a corrugated paper product.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,058, issued to Earnhart (Aug. 1, 2000), discloses a lap mat for overlaying a person's lap that includes openings for holding a beverage container and food items. A pocket is located under the openings and resides between the person's legs when the lap mat overlays the person's lap. The pocket provides thermal insulation for and containment of the beverage container and food items inserted into the openings. The lap mat offers a convenient holder for the person to place a beverage container or food item in while seated, such as when operating or riding in a vehicle. Also, the lap mat protects the person's lap and clothing from spills.
The aprons, bibs, lap mats, and other products described above, however, suffer from significant drawbacks. The aprons and bibs, for example, are difficult for a user to manipulate, as they must be placed around the user's neck. This also makes the aprons and bibs aesthetically unappealing and therefore less likely to be purchased and used. The lap mats, for example, provide little protection for a user's abdomen. In addition, none of the aprons, bibs, lap mats, or other products described above are convenient to stow and transport.
Accordingly, the lap bib device of the present invention addresses these drawbacks.